This invention relates generally to playground equipment and more particularly to an articulated playground bridge.
Children enjoy playing on playground bridges which swing or undulate as they are crossed. Generally, bridges of this type have articulated decks which are suspended from their ends. The decks are made up of rectangular planks which are connected at their longitudinally opposite ends to ropes or chains extending alongside the deck so that the deck will swing and/or undulate as the bridge is crossed. This construction requires that the planks and ropes or chains be relatively strong to withstand the stresses applied to the deck by a child running across or jumping on it. As a result, the planks and ropes or chains must be relatively heavy-duty and are thus more costly. Further, assembly of the deck at the playground site from a set of planks and ropes or chains is difficult and time consuming.
Presently, articulated bridges of the type described have straight horizontal handrails extending above the deck along opposite sides of the deck. However, this design makes it difficult for a child crossing the bridge to comfortably maintain a grip on the hand rail. The deck of such a bridge must necessarily sag downwardly between its suspended ends in order to provide sufficient extra length in the deck for undulation of the deck. Therefore, the vertical separation of the handrail from the deck increases toward the center of the deck. A handrail located waist high to the child at one end of the bridge, may be located shoulder high or above at the center of the deck making it difficult or uncomfortable for the child to maintain his or her grip on the handrail while crossing the bridge.